UPDATE (July 15, 3:55 p.m. PT): Los Angeles Dodgers placed Chris Taylor on the 10-day injured list due to a left forearm fracture and recalled Matt Beaty from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
As the Los Angeles Dodgers were battling the Boston Red Sox in extra innings during the finale of their three-game series at Fenway Park, Chris Taylor was hit by a pitch in his left wrist to put two on with two outs.
Taylor dropped his bat and went into a crouch as a Dodgers trainer came out to check on him. Replay of the sequence showed the 92.4 mph fastball from Heath Hembree hit Taylor flush in his wrist.
He remained in the game after passing an initial test and returned to the field, shifting to second base as played carried into the bottom of the 11th inning. He saved the game by getting to a chopper up the middle but was pinch-hit for in the 12th inning.
Taylor underwent X-rays on his wrist, which came back negative, but his immediate outlook is unclear, according to Pedro Moura of The Athletic:
Dave Roberts said X-rays on Chris Taylor’s wrist were negative, but the Dodgers don’t yet know if he will need to miss time. “He’s still in a lot of pain,” Roberts said.
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) July 15, 2019
Still dealing with discomfort, Taylor was sent for additional testing on Monday, per David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports:
Dave Roberts said Chris Taylor will have another X Ray on his left wrist. Still very sore. #Dodgers
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) July 15, 2019
Taylor went 1-for-4 with a run scored and walk prior to being removed Sunday night. The play was reminiscent of Justin Turner taking a pitch off his left wrist late in Spring Training last year. Turner suffered a fracture and spent the first six weeks of the 2018 season on the injured list.
Taylor possibly missing time would rob the Dodgers of one of their more versatile players and one who had been swinging the bat well. He began to show signs of emerging from a slow start and turned the corner upon consistently filling in at shortstop while Corey Seager recovered from a hamstring strain.
If Taylor is to miss any time, the Dodgers will just as well lean on Seager. He’s fresh off returning from the hamstring injury and started two of three games after being activated.
The initial plan Dodgers manager Dave Roberts laid out called for Seager to start in all three games. However, Roberts explained not having Seager in the lineup Sunday was simply a decision aimed at potentially avoiding placing too much of a burden on him in a short window.